Coahoma County, MS Crime News Stories PROCLAMATION $50.00 REWARD Penitentiary Convict John Hamilton has effected his escape and is still at large. Reward for the arrest and delivery of said convict to the Board of Control of the Penitentiary. Description: No. 302, John Hamilton, age 52 years, height 5ft 7in.; complexion, hair and eyes: black Small scar on left side of forehead, numerous scars on right arm, scar on back of right hand, numerous scars from shot on left arm, scar on left leg below knee, scar on right shin, scar on outside right leg Occupation: Laborer Crime: Manslaughter Sentenced October 16th, 1888 from Coahoma county; escaped from J. H. Brahan, sergeant, Jan. 5th 1890 in Sunflower county. [The Clarion Ledger, Thursday, Feb. 6, 1890 - Submitted by Candi Horton] April 27, 1907      Gerald Fitzgerald, a young lawyer at Friarspoint, last Thursday morning shot and killed W. F. Opp, proprietor of a poolroom, and accidentally wounded himself and his brother-in-law, Ben Booth.  The shooting was the result of a quarrel, the exact origin of which is not known. Opp was standing in the store of W. L. Hobbs when Fitzgerald entered.  Without speaking both men at once attempted to draw their guns.  In drawing his gun, Fitzgerald accidently (sic) discharged the weapon the bullet making a flesh wound in his leg.  Opp’s pistol hung in its scabbard and he did not fire.  Fitzgerald fired five shots at Opp, four of which took effect, causing instant death.  Booth was wounded in the left hand by a wild bullet.  After the shooting Fitzgerald surrendered.  Fitzgerald is twenty-eight years old and was married about a year ago. Opp was thirty years old and leaves a wife. [The Biloxi Herald, Biloxi, MS - Submitted by Debora Reese] September 5, 1911 CLARKSDALE Memphis Man Kills E. C. Jones, a Painter. Clarksdale, Miss., Sept. 4 - E. C. Jones, a painter of this place, was shot and killed on the street last night by a man giving the name of Hutchings and address Memphis.  After the shooting Hutchings made his escape.  The police of Memphis were notified to be on the lookout for him, and he is expected to go home to-night.  The cause of the shooting is not known, but Jones, who is said to have been drinking is alleged to have brought on the quarrel.  A posse is searching for Hutchings, whose first name is unknown.     After an ineffectual effort to find the relatives of Jones, the Painter's Union of this city took charge of the body, which was interned this afternoon in the city cemetery.  The dead man was a former member of the Painters and Decorators' Union, with headquarters at Shreveport, La. [The Times-Democrat, New Orleans, LA -- Submitted by Debora Reese] HOME © Genealogy Trails